Rhody Seth
Active member
My wife and I were very fortunate to celebrate our marriage with a 15 year delayed honeymoon to Scotland. We booked a self-guided tour where we drove into the Highlands and stayed at several wonderful B&Bs. The fourth day of our trip brought us to the Isle of Skye and the magical Trotternish Peninsula. This region was wonderful to experience from a New Englander perspective. The hills are similar in size to what we have here but the lack of trees makes for a completely different landscape.
With limited time on Skye it was tough to decide what to explore but we ultimately choose the Quiraing with its reputation for unique rock formations. It was a great choice. The hills are covered in fine green grass and there are sheep grazing everywhere, with little newborns bounding behind their mothers. Out of the grass erupt tall rocks. The whole area is slowly eroding and you can see plenty of evidence of boulders strewn down the hills. The wind was howling through the parking lot but thankfully the hills blocked it for the majority of the hike. As with a lot of the trails we encountered in Scotland, there is little in the way of signage and while the path is generally pretty obvious there are sections where it goes every which way and it's up to you to figure out where to go. We encountered many other hikers but the majority were doing a loop hike which navigates around the Quiraing but avoids the steepest parts. We wanted to climb higher.
The clouds were constantly rolling through and it was spitting at times, lending an ethereal vibe that was very appropriate. There is an impressive rock structure known as the Prison and opposite of that is a steep climb that leads up to a maze of dirt paths surrounded by rock structures. The loose dirt and rock proved too much for my wife who struggled to ascend and told me to go on alone. I proceeded onward towards an grassy plateau known as the Table. The trails went every which way up there and I after a bit of searching I decided to head back so as not to keep my wife waiting. But then she surprised me by arriving at the top of the climb! She had reassessed and then found an easier way to ascend. Together we ventured on until we finally arrived at the Table. It was an emotional victory for her.
The clouds parted briefly and allowed us some spectacular views of Skye and the ocean beyond. Then the fog returned in force and we made our way back down. The Quiraing is truly a unique place and unlike anything we have around here. Definitely a highlight of our trip. Below is a video of the day. Skip to 2:57 if you want to get right to the Quiraing.
With limited time on Skye it was tough to decide what to explore but we ultimately choose the Quiraing with its reputation for unique rock formations. It was a great choice. The hills are covered in fine green grass and there are sheep grazing everywhere, with little newborns bounding behind their mothers. Out of the grass erupt tall rocks. The whole area is slowly eroding and you can see plenty of evidence of boulders strewn down the hills. The wind was howling through the parking lot but thankfully the hills blocked it for the majority of the hike. As with a lot of the trails we encountered in Scotland, there is little in the way of signage and while the path is generally pretty obvious there are sections where it goes every which way and it's up to you to figure out where to go. We encountered many other hikers but the majority were doing a loop hike which navigates around the Quiraing but avoids the steepest parts. We wanted to climb higher.
The clouds were constantly rolling through and it was spitting at times, lending an ethereal vibe that was very appropriate. There is an impressive rock structure known as the Prison and opposite of that is a steep climb that leads up to a maze of dirt paths surrounded by rock structures. The loose dirt and rock proved too much for my wife who struggled to ascend and told me to go on alone. I proceeded onward towards an grassy plateau known as the Table. The trails went every which way up there and I after a bit of searching I decided to head back so as not to keep my wife waiting. But then she surprised me by arriving at the top of the climb! She had reassessed and then found an easier way to ascend. Together we ventured on until we finally arrived at the Table. It was an emotional victory for her.
The clouds parted briefly and allowed us some spectacular views of Skye and the ocean beyond. Then the fog returned in force and we made our way back down. The Quiraing is truly a unique place and unlike anything we have around here. Definitely a highlight of our trip. Below is a video of the day. Skip to 2:57 if you want to get right to the Quiraing.
